


The Curious Parcel

by Jaelijn



Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Community: watsons_woes, Ficlet, Gen, Originally Posted on LiveJournal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-08
Updated: 2010-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26045305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaelijn/pseuds/Jaelijn
Summary: A curious parcel is delivered to the doorstep of 221B Baker Street.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & John Watson
Kudos: 3





	The Curious Parcel

**Author's Note:**

> _Archiving note:_ I am importing this fic to AO3 in August 2020 for archiving purposes. It has not been edited since its original publication in 2010.
> 
>  _Original A/N on LJ:_ Warnings: An angry Mrs Hudson.  
> Author's Note: All canon characters were created by ACD, all original characters belong to me and may not be used without my permission. Slightly inspired by "The Baker Street Nursemaids" in the Ronald Howard Sherlock Holmes series. Entry to challenge 011 at watsons_woes . Unbeta'ed.

The winter of the year `95 came with snow in the late November, and brought a curious parcel to the doorstep of 221B Baker Street. Mrs Hudson was the one to discover it; however, her shriek brought both me and Holmes downstairs, where we scarcely had the time to peer into the cradle before Mrs Hudson charged at Holmes.

“Oh, you! I always thought that despite your eccentricities, you were a decent man, an honourable fellow!” She slapped him. “I'm kicking you out! Shameful, Mr Holmes, shameful!”

Holmes's hand wandered slowly up to his painfully flushing cheek, utterly stupefied. “Mrs Hudson!”

“Oh, don't you dare give me those innocent puppy dog eyes!” She turned her back to him and stalked over to the parcel, positioning herself protectively behind it. Her arms were set akimbo, and her eyes sparkling with a deviance that used to let both myself and Holmes shrink before her rage.

I have hardly ever seen Holmes so speechless. “Watson?”

I approached the small cradle, and when Mrs Hudson did not leap at me also, lifted the blanket that covered it. “Good heavens!” It was all I could do to suppress my laughter.

Holmes craned his head, but he dared not approach our irate landlady. “What is it?”

“As if you didn't know!” Mrs Hudson rushed over to him, seized him by the arm and dragged him towards the basket. “Shameful! How could you!”

Holmes's cleared his throat. “I'm sure it must have been... misplaced.”

“Things like that aren't misplaced!”

“I assure you, Mrs Hudson...”

“None of that! I demand that you pack your valise, and seek out the lady in question. Immediately!”

“What gives you the idea it is mine in the first place?!” Holmes extracted himself from her grip and retreated towards the door. “Last I checked, Dr Watson here was male and a bachelor, too!”  
“Holmes!” I exclaimed, a little hurt at the fact that he thought me capable of such an atrocity. It was true, I had done nothing to spring to his aid, but I must confess, I rather enjoyed Holmes squirm under our landlady's glare, for he had bothered me all morning with some evil smelling experiment.

“Dr Watson would never do such a thing.”

Holmes frowned. “Experience with women of several continents?”

“That's enough, Mr Holmes! Get out!”

“Very well, I leave. I trust you will figure out the mystery without my aid.” With that, he collected his coat and hat, and walked out of the door.

Mrs Hudson and I stared at each other for some time, her face blanching in realisation that she had done him an injustice, then we rushed after him.

“Mr Holmes! What about the child!?”

He merely pulled up his collar. “Give it to Watson! Being a doctor, he should be able to handle it.”

**“I am a doctor, not a nursemaid!”**


End file.
